Covid-19 related staff absence at Chesterfield Royal Hospital more than doubles in a fortnight

The latest figures from NHS England show how hospital trusts were coping with pressures in the seven day period to December 26.

While the data shows improvements in critical care bed occupancy and ambulance wait times to handover patients, it revealed a rise in the numbers of staff off absent in part due to the latest wave of Covid-19 and the Omicron variant.

A total of 163 staff at Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust (CRHFT) were ill with coronavirus or having to self-isolate on Boxing Day,

That was up 29 per cent when compared to a week earlier and more than double the 75 who were off due to Covid-19 on December 12.

Some 427 were absent for any reason within the trust on Boxing Day, the equivalent of around one in eight members of staff being off.

Demand on resources at Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s A&E department meant that of the 469 ambulances arriving with patients last week, 39 had to wait more than 30 minutes while four had to wait more than an hour.

The target is for handovers to take under 15 minutes.

Twelve out of a possible 15 critical beds were occupied on Boxing Day, a fall of three when compared to Christmas Eve when all 15 beds were full.

Numbers peaked during the month on Friday, December 17, when 20 beds were available and all were occupied.

Berenice Groves, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer of CRHFT, said: "Our colleagues are following national guidance and taking lateral flow and PCR tests as recommended.

"As in line with other acute hospitals, we are experiencing a higher rate of sickness - partly due to the increased number of positive Covid results detected through these tests. This is a situation we are actively managing on a daily basis.

"Colleagues are being supported through working from home, where possible and when this isn't a pragmatic solution, we are working closely to share resources and use a variety of tactics to ensure we continue to provide a safe and efficient service.

"Our priority is the care of our patients through our colleagues."